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Education blog from Shakespeare Martineauen-GBShakespeare Martineau LLPSubtext Version 2.5.2.0Going Further & Higherhttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/images/RSS2Image.gifhttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/Default.aspx
7760GoingFurtherHigherhttps://feedburner.google.comConfessions of a process junkieGeneral InterestStrategy, Students and Governancehttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/archive/2016/05/03/Confessions-of-a-process-junkie.aspx
<I><p><img class="pfln" src="/images/blog_sghmartineau_com/sxj.jpg" /></p><p>We consider the role of due process in improving the quality of institutional decision-making.
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<I><p><a
href="/archive/2016/05/03/Confessions-of-a-process-junkie.aspx">Read more</a></p><img src="http://educationblog.shma.co.uk/aggbug/153.aspx" width="1" height="1" />Shakespeare Martineau LLPhttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/archive/2016/05/03/Confessions-of-a-process-junkie.aspxTue, 03 May 2016 16:00:47 GMThttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/archive/2016/05/03/Confessions-of-a-process-junkie.aspx#feedbackhttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/comments/commentRss/153.aspxhttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/services/trackbacks/153.aspxAnother levy on the HE sector?General InterestStrategy, Students and Governancehttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/archive/2016/04/21/Another-levy-on-the-HE-sector.aspx
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<p align="justify"><font face="Arial"><strong>Another levy on the HE sector?</strong> </font></p>
<p align="justify"><font face="Arial"><strong>Following the implementation of the apprenticeship levy on those universities with a paybill of over £3million, the Charities Act 2016 now proposes a levy to provide for the operation of a Fundraising Regulator.</strong></font></p>
<p align="justify"><font face="Arial">March 16th 2016 saw a new Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Act receive Royal Assent. As yet however, the majority of the Act is not in force and no subsequent regulations have been made under it.</font></p>
<p align="justify"><font face="Arial">The Act had an interesting passage through Parliament, facing vociferous opposition and a number of proposed amendments, some of which were adopted. Criticism of the Bill included the inclusion of new grounds for disqualification of trustees and the proposed levy on charities to fund the set-up and running of a new regulator, the Fundraising Regulator. </font></p>
<p align="justify"><font face="Arial">The impetus for the Act partly came from the publication of the Etherington Report “Regulating Fundraising for the Future” in September 2015. Prior to the commission of the Report the issue of charity fundraising had increasingly been the subject of public debate, particularly following the reporting in the press of the somewhat unsavoury methods of some fundraisers. The revelations that members of the public, including vulnerable people, had been subject to what could be considered undue pressure led to the belief that there was a crisis of public confidence in charities. It was widely believed action had to be taken to preserve public trust in the sector, particularly in relation to fundraising methods. </font></p>
<p align="justify"><font face="Arial">The Report made a number of recommendations, including that the two current voluntary fundraising regulatory bodies, The Institute for Fundraising and Public Fundraising Association, should be merged. </font></p>
<p align="justify"><font face="Arial">The Report also supported an amendment to the Act as it progressed through Parliament; requiring charities to make a statement in their Annual Report indicating what the charity has done to protect vulnerable people and the general public from undue influence during fundraising. This suggested amendment was adopted and s13 of the new Act (amending s.59 of the Charities Act 1992) requires all charities, including universities, to make an annual statement setting out their approach towards, and monitoring of, their arrangements to protect the public from intrusive and persistent fundraising activity. Universities may have to address their relationship with elderly alumni, who often leave valuable gifts in their wills, and may in some circumstances be considered vulnerable, to ensure university fundraising activities are in compliance with the Act. Compliance will almost certainly involve some amendment to internal Donations and Gifts and Fundraising Policies.</font></p>
<p align="justify"><font face="Arial">Of most interest to universities has been the insertion of a new s.64B into the Charities Act 1992. This gives the power to a Minister to issue new regulations on a variety of fundraising matters, including the power to confer additional functions to the Charity Commission regarding fundraising. Controversially the Minister also has the power to issue regulations which will require charities to ‘pay fees to a regulator…’ and require charities ‘to be registered with the regulator for the purpose of its regulation of charity fundraising’. The new Fundraising Regulator has already been set up, with the appointment of eight named members to the board. It announced recently that it will open consultation in May 2016 on the imposition of the fees, or ‘levy’, to fund the regulator. </font></p>
<p align="justify"><font face="Arial">Given the existing intensity of scrutiny from a number of regulatory and monitoring bodies, universities will no doubt be at the forefront of those charities asking for exemption from the proposed ‘levy’ regulations. </font></p>
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<p align="justify"><br />
Etherington Report “Regulating Fundraising for the Future” at <a href="https://www.ncvo.org.uk/images/documents/policy_and_research/giving_and_philanthropy/fundraising-review-report-2015.pdf">https://www.ncvo.org.uk/images/documents/policy_and_research/giving_and_philanthropy/fundraising-review-report-2015.pdf</a></p>
<p align="justify"><br />
Fundraising Regulator launches a consultation in May on the levy: <a href="http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/lord-grade-launch-consultation-charging-charities-fundraising-regulator/fundraising/article/1386718">http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/lord-grade-launch-consultation-charging-charities-fundraising-regulator/fundraising/article/1386718</a></p>
<p align="justify"><br />
The appointees to the new board of the Fundraising Regulator: <a href="http://www.civilsociety.co.uk/fundraising/news/content/21271/lord_grade_announced_membership">http://www.civilsociety.co.uk/fundraising/news/content/21271/lord_grade_announced_membership</a></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><strong><span lang="EN" style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB">Hester Fairclough <o:p /></span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span lang="EN" style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB">Paralegal, Education<o:p /></span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><strong><span lang="EN" style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB">T:</span></strong><strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span lang="EN" style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB"> 0121 214 0565 <o:p /></span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><strong><span lang="EN" style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB">E: </span></strong><a href="mailto:hester.fairclough@shma.co.uk"><strong><span lang="EN" style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB"><font color="#ff6600">hester.fairclough@shma.co.uk</font></span></strong></a><strong><span lang="EN" style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB"><o:p /></span></strong></p>
</font><img src="http://educationblog.shma.co.uk/aggbug/152.aspx" width="1" height="1" />Shakespeare Martineau LLPhttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/archive/2016/04/21/Another-levy-on-the-HE-sector.aspxThu, 21 Apr 2016 11:10:55 GMThttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/archive/2016/04/21/Another-levy-on-the-HE-sector.aspx#feedbackhttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/comments/commentRss/152.aspxhttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/services/trackbacks/152.aspxRegister of People with Significant Control - does it apply to your university and subsidiaries?General InterestStrategy, Students and GovernanceCommercialhttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/archive/2016/04/01/Register-of-People-with-Significant-Control-does-it-apply-to-your-university-and-subsidiaries.aspx
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri"><img alt="" width="187" height="200" src="/images/educationblog_shma_co_uk/Hester_Faircloughcolour for blog.jpg" /></font></font><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto"><span lang="EN" style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB">As the end of the financial year rapidly approaches many universities have asked whether they, or their subsidiary trading companies, have to keep a Register of People with Significant Control (PSC). <o:p /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto"><span lang="EN" style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB">The requirement to keep a Register was introduced by the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015, amending the Companies Act 2006 by inserting section 21A.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>From 6 April 2016, companies, Societas Europaeae and Limited Liability Partnerships will, in addition to keeping a register of members and directors, have to keep a register of individuals or legal entities that have significant control over them. This information has to be filed annually by 30 June at Companies House in a Confirmation Statement, which replaces the Annual Return from June 2016.<o:p /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto"><span lang="EN" style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB">Section 21A of the Act is a ‘statutory trail’ that must be worked through to discover whether a company must keep the Register. Companies must register any ‘registrable individual’ or ‘registrable relevant legal entity’ that has significant control over them – these terms, and what constitutes significant control, are defined in the Act. Those with significant control include those that: directly/indirectly hold more than 25% of the shares or voting rights; directly/indirectly hold the right to appoint or remove a majority of directors; or otherwise have the right to, or actually exercise, significant control over the activities of the company or, in certain circumstances, trust or firm without legal personality (e.g. English Limited Partnerships).<o:p /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto"><span lang="EN" style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB">The first piece of good news for many universities is that if they are a statutory or chartered body as many are, and therefore not a company for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, they are not subject to the requirement to keep a PSC themselves. However, other universities or HEIs taking a different legal form may be subject to the requirements, particularly those that are private companies. <o:p /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto"><span lang="EN" style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB">Many universities which are statutory and chartered bodies will have <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">wholly owned </em>trading subsidiaries which they use to transact commercial business. These companies will usually take the form of Companies Act companies, usually companies limited by shares, and <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">will</em> therefore have to keep a Register of PSC themselves. But what should such companies record in their Register? Are there any ‘registrable individuals’ or ‘registrable relevant legal entities’ in relation to these wholly owned subsidiaries? When their owners are statutory or chartered bodies the answer to this question will usually be no. Statutory/chartered bodies are clearly not capable of being ‘registrable individuals’, but neither are they ‘relevant’ legal entities, as they are not ‘subject to their own disclosure requirements’ as required by the Act for a ‘relevant’ legal entity. So, the wholly owned subsidiary company of a statutory/chartered corporation must keep a PSC register, but it may enter the phrase <em style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">“The company knows or has reasonable cause to believe that there is no registrable person or registrable relevant legal entity in relation to the company”</em> (as suggested by BIS guidance Register of People with Significant Control – Guidance for Companies, Societates Europaeae and LLPs). <o:p /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto"><span lang="EN" style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB">Any university that has ‘chains’ of companies however (e.g. a wholly owned subsidiary company that then owns further companies) may find that those further down the chain are required to enter something further in their Register of PSC than the above sentence: clearly each university should take legal advice about its individual position, and the position of its subsidiary companies, in relation to the requirement to keep a Register.<o:p /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto"><span lang="EN" style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB">However, there is some leeway in the requirement to keep a PSC Register at present, in that those companies which must keep a Register from 6 April may, whilst making enquiries into who has significant control over them, enter the phrase <em>“the company has not yet completed taking reasonable steps to find out if there is anyone who is a registrable person or a registrable relevant legal entity in relation to the company”</em> in their Register until such (reasonable) time that they have taken such steps. <o:p /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; mso-margin-top-alt: auto"><span lang="EN" style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB">The important thing is that, if you are obliged to keep a Register, it must not be empty on 6 April and the information contained within it is with Companies House in your Confirmation Statement by 30<sup>th</sup> June. Failure to do so will be a criminal offence.<o:p /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><strong><span lang="EN" style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB">Hester Fairclough <o:p /></span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span lang="EN" style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB">Paralegal, Education<o:p /></span></strong></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><strong><span lang="EN" style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB">E: </span></strong><a href="mailto:hester.fairclough@shma.co.uk"><strong><span lang="EN" style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB"><font color="#ff6600">hester.fairclough@shma.co.uk</font></span></strong></a><strong><span lang="EN" style="FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB"><o:p /></span></strong></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"> </p><img src="http://educationblog.shma.co.uk/aggbug/151.aspx" width="1" height="1" />Shakespeare Martineau LLPhttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/archive/2016/04/01/Register-of-People-with-Significant-Control-does-it-apply-to-your-university-and-subsidiaries.aspxFri, 01 Apr 2016 15:04:12 GMThttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/archive/2016/04/01/Register-of-People-with-Significant-Control-does-it-apply-to-your-university-and-subsidiaries.aspx#feedbackhttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/comments/commentRss/151.aspxhttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/services/trackbacks/151.aspxCan universities campaign for ‘in’ or ‘out’ in the EU Referendum?General Interesthttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/archive/2016/03/11/Can-universities-campaign-for-in-or-out-in-the-EU-Referendum.aspx
<p><img class="pfln" style="HEIGHT: 185px; WIDTH: 187px" alt="" width="200" height="200" src="http://educationblog.shma.co.uk/images/blog_sghmartineau_com/sxj.jpg" /><strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">First posted 7 March 2016<o:p /></span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">The Charity Commission has produced guidance for charities about the legal framework within which they should, if they so desire, become publicly involved in the debate leading up to June’s EU referendum. <o:p /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">As charities, universities must never be party political, but they are permitted, in certain circumstances, to engage in “political activity”, defined by the Commission as activity which is aimed at securing or opposing a change in law, public policy or a decision of central or local government or other public body. The main constraint is that any such activity must further or support their charitable purpose, which is broadly to advance education and research for the public benefit. <o:p /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">The first question, therefore, is for universities to decide whether articulating a position on the EU referendum furthers their charitable purpose in some way. The Commission makes it clear that this must go beyond the availability or loss of EU funding. However, concerns about the impact of EU membership in terms of the ease of teaching and research collaboration or the benefits of free movement of staff and students are more likely to be regarded as sufficiently ancillary to the charitable purpose to justify taking a position. The Commission advises that the fact that the EU is the source of all or part of charity’s funding is made clear as part of any campaign so that the reasons for that charity’s involvement can be fully assessed. <o:p /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">Having decided to articulate a position, the university governing body, as its trustees, needs to make sure that the methods used to publicly set out that position are effective and proportionate. This is as part of the overall duty to make best use of charitable resources. <o:p /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">Care must also be taken in ensuring that a university’s involvement in the debate is not hijacked by any of the campaigning “remain” or “leave” groups, or by individual trustees or members of staff seeking to advance their own causes. Any action must not seek to influence individual voter behaviour, as opposed to informing or seeking to influence public opinion. <o:p /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">The Commission’s guidance recommends that a record should be kept of the university trustees’ decision, covering: <o:p /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">· How the agreed action is expected to further the university’s charitable purposes;<o:p /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">· Why taking the action is in the best interests of the charity;<o:p /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">· How any risks (e.g. loss of funding, damage to reputation, conflicts of interest, exploitation by third parties) will be managed. <o:p /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">If the Commission is concerned by the actions of a university, then it can, at the request of HEFCE as principal regulator take action, including giving advice to remediate the breach of charity law or requiring trustees to make good any losses to the university and, in very extreme situations, removal of trustees.<o:p /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"> All this might encourage university trustees to steer clear of an institutional position on the EU referendum. Clearly, whilst charities can engage in political activity, there is no obligation on them to do so. However, it would be a pity if a decision on the vital question of the UK’s continued membership of the EU were made without public understanding of its impact on this very important part of our nation’s civic, intellectual and economic life (and indeed why UUK’s activities around the referendum are so welcome). It could even be argued that if the impact on the future of a university is significant, not to reflect upon and seek to inform the public about the consequences of a decision either way is not prudent stewardship. It is therefore to be hoped that university governing bodies adopt a risk-based approach to the decision. <o:p /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"> </span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">A copy of the guidance can be found </span><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/504650/EU_referendum.pdf"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">here</span></a><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%">.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><strong>Smita Jamdar </strong><br />
Partner and Head of Education<br />
<strong>T:</strong> 0121 214 0332 <br />
<strong>E: </strong><u><a href="mailto:smita.jamdar@shma.co.uk">smita.jamdar@shma.co.uk</a><br />
<strong>W: </strong><a href="http://www.shma.co.uk/">www.shma.co.uk</a></u></span></p><img src="http://educationblog.shma.co.uk/aggbug/150.aspx" width="1" height="1" />Shakespeare Martineau LLPhttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/archive/2016/03/11/Can-universities-campaign-for-in-or-out-in-the-EU-Referendum.aspxFri, 11 Mar 2016 16:43:19 GMThttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/archive/2016/03/11/Can-universities-campaign-for-in-or-out-in-the-EU-Referendum.aspx#feedbackhttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/comments/commentRss/150.aspxhttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/services/trackbacks/150.aspxOpting for academisation - a costly choice?General InterestStrategy, Students and Governancehttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/archive/2016/03/07/Opting-for-academisation-a-costly-choice.aspx
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri"><img alt="" width="187" height="200" src="/images/educationblog_shma_co_uk/Hester_Faircloughcolour for blog.jpg" />The long awaited government guidance on sixth form colleges becoming academies was finally published on 19 February 2016, and updated Friday 11th March. Given the ongoing area review process, and the interwoven process of applying for academisation, consideration of this choice for many sixth form colleges will be increasingly urgent.<o:p /></font></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">As part of area review, the academisation process, and whether academisation will mean becoming a stand alone academy or joining a Multi Academy Trust, will of course have to be considered alongside possible alternatives such as merger or collaboration with other local sixth form and FE colleges.<o:p /></font></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><font size="3">Academisation is only possible for those institutions fitting the statutory definition of an academy as “principally concerned with providing full-time or part-time education suitable to the requirements of persons over compulsory school age but under 19”.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">This is interpreted as meaning that 80% of</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">the college’s students must be 16 to 19 year olds. This creates a difficult choice for some sixth form colleges, in that whilst they might be attracted to the benefits of academisation, this would prohibit otherwise attractive merger with FE colleges who have, or are developing, over-19 adult apprenticeship and/or HE provision. <o:p /></font></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><font face="Calibri"><font size="3">Those opting for academisation will of course be unable to offer employers an across-the-board provision for all-age apprenticeships available under the new levy system.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><font size="3">Apprenticeship provision is clearly the growth area in FE given the government focus on 3m apprenticeship starts by 2020. The number of over-19 apprenticeships starts has also now radically overtaken the numbers of under- 19’s: in 2013-14 over-19s made up almost three quarters of all starts.<o:p /></font></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">The lack of college representation on the Institute for Apprenticeships, and the design of the apprenticeship levy system, produces a natural concentration on employer needs and demand. The trend is clearly in the direction of the over-19 market.<o:p /></font></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt"><font size="3" face="Calibri">Opting in to academisation, and out of all age apprenticeship provision, may be a difficult and costly choice for some.</font> </p>
<div><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><o:p><strong>Hester Fairclough </strong><br />
Paralegal,Education<br />
<strong>T:</strong> 0121 214 0565 <br />
<strong>E: <a href="mailto:hester.faircough@shma.co.uk">hester.faircough@shma.co.uk</a></strong></o:p></span></div>
<div><span style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; LINE-HEIGHT: 115%"><o:p><u><a href="mailto:smita.jamdar@shma.co.uk"><strong>W</strong></a><a href="http://www.shma.co.uk/">www.shma.co.uk</a>: </u></o:p></span></div><img src="http://educationblog.shma.co.uk/aggbug/149.aspx" width="1" height="1" />Shakespeare Martineau LLPhttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/archive/2016/03/07/Opting-for-academisation-a-costly-choice.aspxMon, 07 Mar 2016 15:53:23 GMThttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/archive/2016/03/07/Opting-for-academisation-a-costly-choice.aspx#feedbackhttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/comments/commentRss/149.aspxhttp://educationblog.shma.co.uk/services/trackbacks/149.aspx